DELICIOUS RUMOURS
Wanye
June 30 2010 12:26PM
Good afternoon to us all Nation. Things are heating up in the run up to free agency beginning and the Oilers are dropping pounds of dead weight faster than this dude. But unlike this chap who has to avoid eating much of anything we are free to feast on the abundant bounty of rumours and speculation currently running rampant in the NHL.
Get ready to throw another million on the pile Eklund. Your busy season is underway.
A pair of rumours from TSN this morning caught our bloodshot eye:
RUMOUR ONE
"- An interesting rumour, and I stress rumour at this point: Edmonton possibly moving defenceman Sheldon Souray to St. Louis with blueliner Eric Brewer coming back the other way. Souray is a $5.4 million cap hit who will make $4.5 million in each of next two seasons. Brewer is $4.25 million cap hit with a salary of $4.5 million for the coming season. The Oilers obviously must move Souray - he can't play there now - but will have to take some money back. Could a Souray-Brewer trade be the answer?"
Could a Souray-Brewer trade be the answer? In a word, No.
*a brief moment while we check Brewer's salary scenario*
Hmm. Only one year left at $4.5 million huh? Please allow us to rephrase our earlier statement.
Could a Souray-Brewer trade be the answer? In a word, Yes.
If that is all Brewer has left on his gargantuan contract we would be happy to ship the Big Sex for the Oft Injured former Oiler. What the Oilers lose in good looks they make up for in bucks and at the end of the season the Oil could allow Brewer to sail off into the oft injured sunset with no further responsibilities.
We really need to read the whole paragraph before passing judgement*
*Never
RUMOUR TWO
The same article on TSN.ca says:
"- Darren Dreger spoke with Souray, who pointed out that his no-trade clause lifts July 1st, so the Oilers can consider any interested teams. Souray still needs additional strengthening in his surgically-repaired hand, but vows to be ready for the 2010-2011 season and will provide his medical records to any interested clubs. Souray also noted, if there's interest, he's happy to return to Edmonton."
Firstly, how on Earth can Sheldon Souray claim that he would be happy to return to Edmonton after the way he ran his mouth to end the season. Forced to play injured? Forced to play at gunpoint? Happy to return to Edmonton? What on earth is going through his beautiful mind?
Its funny how two consecutive paragraphs contradict each other to such a degree. Mackenzie is convinced that Souray cannot possibly return to Edmonton - presumably because he blasted the entire team and half of the North end of town on the way out at the end of the year. Dreger on the other hand reports he would be happy to return.
*eye starts to twitch in rage at the Big Sex*
CONCLUSION
When it comes to Sheldon Souray, our patience is starting to wear thin. With the departure of Ethan Moreau, Souray would be a leading candidate to replace him as the 13th Captain of the Oilers. There was a time this season when we would have led the charge to RX1 to demand this happen.
But now? Judging by his bi-polar commentary to various members of the press, this would be somewhat akin to throwing a vial of arsenic down our village well.
It would end badly and many would die, mainly of arsenic poisoning.
No more for you Sheldon Souray. Let the Gods see you moved in the next few days.
YEAH! HOW THE HELL!?! I WANT TO SING! ..AND YELL!
Yeah no kidding. Is that why he's collecting ex-Oilers? Cuz he wants to build a winner? Please.
Can't wait for tomorrow. My minimal $'s say we say goodbye to Souray.
Hall will get the entry level max which is around $875,000, but with potential bonuses his cap hit is around $3.8 million. I believe the Oilers then get whatever amount of bonuses he doesn't earn in cap relief the next season (or maybe two).
Wow, slinging mud as he's shown the door....
Not a lot of love from the Vet guys for Lowe and Tambellini.
on another note. The FLAMES have to do something tomorrow. do you think Tanguay gets an invite back to C-town?
ZACK FOR CAP!
@Eric Johnson
I think Darryl will be throwing darts at a dartboard with pictures to see who stays or go's!
OR... give Kotalik, Sarich & Staios some magic beans to fa-koff and use that $9M on somebody else... like Spezza & Armstrong.
Columbus is 107-139 under Howson. But, apparently, his absence is why The Oil are so bad. It must be true, because Ethan Moreau is never wrong.
I have been reading time and time again the media slamming Sheldon Souray for his actions last year.....asking for a trade, slamming the management. While his actions are not condoned by any means.....in his own words, he is a proffessional hockey player who gets paid millions of dollars to play. That being said, man, the guy is only human. The pressure, especially in Edmonton, for being a proffessional hockey player is astronomical. Sometimes people say and do things that they might regret. Pelle Lindberg got drunk and drove his porsche into a brick wall, Pat Quinn said many things last year that will go down in history as what NOT to say if you want to be a coach in this league, The Bulin Wall got a DUI, Kevin Low has made several HUGE errors in judgement regarding the handling of the Edmonton Oilers over the years, yet he is still a BIG part of this franchise, and then, there is Sean Avery.....don't even need to get into that one! All I am saying is cut the guy some freaking slack, already. We are, after all, only human. We make mistakes. If he says he'd be happy to return to playing hockey for the Oil, then take it at face value. He has been a very good player and leader throughout his career through hard work and dedication to the sport, and highly thought of as a GREAT role model FOR players. This has been spoken directly from several players' mouths. I believe the majority of the attitude problems on this team last year was a direct result of Pat Quinn and his old school ways of coaching. Things he said in the media I'm sure was very soft compared to the way he handled his players, and that doesn't paint a pretty picture at all in my books..... Sheldon, if you read this, some of us fans are behind you %100.
I agree with you.I have been on the fence on this one but I'm willing to give him a mulligan.it was a tough year for all but as much as I'd like him back he has only played 1 full year out of 3 & we have pay him $20 million.if the brewer trade materialized,I'm ok with that because his contract is done at the end of the year.if souray gets 50points no one will complain but if he gets hurt again,you know the "we should have traded him will start".whatever they do I'm okay with....brewer & king is something to look at.